Symphony Number One: Time Of Envy
by Lu Ishii
Summary: What could happen if Chibi Usa's arriving meant the end of Usagi's life?


Symphony Number One: Time of envy

By Lu Ishii aka waterfu

Crystal Tokyo palace was being built. At last, the future a group of young girls and a man knew had to arrive some day, was arriving. Not so far away from the almost-finished Tokyo tower, the same group of people was inside a hospital waiting room.

--

Usagi was squeezing Mamoru's hand with such strength, that his fingers had gone almost white. _At least she isn't biting my fingers of_, he thought with a smile.

"Usa, soon this will be over. Chibi Usa is coming this time to stay with us," the man smiled, trying to comfort his wife.

"I know, Mamo-chan. I just can't wait to hold her!" Usagi answered excitedly.

Clearing his throat a bit, the doctor spoke. "One final push ma'am, that's all I ask." Screaming, Usagi did her best to follow the doctor's instructions, but when she started pushing, a sharp bolt of pain hit her. Her pain filled scream was heard in the waiting area.

Usagi's face had gone pale, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat. Mamoru could tell that something was not right. When the doctor ordered to clear the room, his fears were confirmed.

"I won't leave. I must stay with her," Mamoru said, standing stubbornly next to Usagi's bed, he tried hard not to panic. _This_ _is not happening. _

"Sir, please" The doctor asked softly. "Come out with me for a minute." Glancing at the two nervous nurses who were trying to calm Usagi down, both men turned to leave, Mamoru practically being dragged by the arm.

"Mamo-chan, please, don't be away so long," Usagi called to him in an exhausted voice.

"Don't worry Usa, I'll be right back." With that, Mamoru and the doctor left the room.

--

"Mr. Chiba, I'm afraid your daughter's life might be in danger. It seems that the baby is asphyxiating with the umbilical cord…Which is odd, because the ultrasounds we practised on your wife just a day ago showed nothing irregular. It's very strange, sir. Somehow, the baby rotated to an unusual position. Your wife's body is loosing too much blood, I'm positive she has internal bleeding," the doctor hesitated for a moment. "And something needs to be done immediately."

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked breathlessly.

"Sir, what I am trying to say is that if your wife tries to give birth by natural means, the baby _will_ asphyxiate. We need to do a caesarean… Though, give her condition, the operation may endanger the mother's life." The man looked Mamoru in the eye. "We need your approbation, sir."

Mamoru wasn't even listening anymore. He felt something was out of place, but he just couldn't isolate what.

"Sir?"

"Right. I need to talk to my wife"

"Do so. But have in mind we do not have much time."

--

Taking three giant steps, Mamoru entered Usagi's room again. Pale and weak as she was, Usagi still continued to smile.

"You're back. What's wrong Mamo-chan?"

_So, she felt it too. Yes, something's wrong. But I don't know what. _

"Usa, love. The doctor's said he needs to practise a caesarean on you," he paused, holding her hands. "The baby's life is in risk."

Usagi was at a loss of words for two seconds. But when she spoke, her voice was firm. "Then, what's holding you back? Tell them to do it."

"Usagi, I-"

"There's something else, isn't it?"

"You're weak. You've been at this for hours and you have intern haemorrhage," a look of fear flashed through his eyes. "I don't want to risk your life either."

Turning to the doctor, Usagi tried to straighten her back. "Sir, do what you must to ensure Chibi Usa's safety." Looking back at Mamoru, she held his hand tenderly. "I'll be just fine Mamo-chan. And then we'll both live in a castle, just like in the movies."

Those childish words coming out of Usagi's mouth suddenly seemed out of place. Her voice was tired but serious. Her face radiated determination… It was as if she knew that she may not come back at all out of the surgery room.

The doctor looked at Mamoru. "Sir?"

"Yes. Do what she says." Sighting, Mamoru bent and kissed Usagi in the lips.

"What's that? A good-bye kiss?" Usagi asked, smiling.

"No. A see-you-later kiss."

With that, Mamoru turned to leave the room. He didn't want her to see him weak, with unshed tears in his eyes.

--

At the waiting room, four girls rose instantly as Mamoru entered.

"Is she alright?" Rei, still dressed in her miko clothes, asked, quite worried. It was obvious that news of Usagi's labour had arrived in the middle of her shrine chores.

As four pair of eyes looked at him expectantly, he found that he didn't want to mouth those words. The fact that little hope was given to both mother and daughter be alive and well.

Makoto, unable to stand the silence, spoke up. "We heard her scream. What's happened?" Still not getting an answer, she walked to Mamoru and shook his shoulders. "Mamoru, please. We need to know!"

"Mako-chan, don't shout please. Remember where we are," Ami intervened. "And, Mamoru. We do need to know."

Finding his voice, the tired man looked up to the girls. "They're practising a caesarean on her. Apparently, Chibi Usa is choking herself with the cord and Usagi has internal bleeding. Everything's just… out of control," he said, helpless. "A few hours ago everything was fine, and now--" he stopped, unable to keep his voice from being shaky.

"This is horrible." Minako bustled out. "Nothing like this actually happened in the future!"

"We don't know that, Minako-chan. Setsuna only showed us only the necessary so we could fulfil our mission."

_Hahaha_

--

"But," Minako looked around desperately. "She's going to be alright, then. She was alright before the Black Moon attacked."

Rei, that had been quiet for a little time, took the word. "Something's wrong. I feel… like this isn't really supposed to be happening."

"But what can have changed that? I mean, the Black Moons can't have, they are expected a long time away in the future--" Makoto pondered loudly, her mind working furiously.

"A new enemy perhaps?" Ami contributed cleverly. "We may not know, but we may have had to fight before the Black Moon."

Mamoru, turning away from the conversation, sat back in one of the leather couches that laid around the waiting room. Sinking his head in his knees, he didn't realise when slumber got him.

--

Waking up two and a half hour later, Mamoru looked around franticly. Usagi's smiling face still lingered in his mind. _I dreamed of her. Why I feel like I won't see her like that again?_

"Mamoru," Rei said softly, without wanting to startle him. "Surgery's over."

"Is she alright?" The man asked almost unintelligibly.

"We don't know. The head doctor will give us the diagnostic when he comes out."

Sitting in another couch, Mina's sleeping head was settled in Makoto's lap. Drained tears adorned both girls faces. Ami was writing something down, theories maybe, Mamoru vaguely thought.

As the head doctor approached Mamoru and Rei discreetly, Ami stood up and joined the two. Makoto had fallen asleep with Mina.

"Your wife's condition is pretty delicate Chiba-san," the doctor said, addressing Mamoru. "Sometime during surgery her brain received a shock, and we had to rush things out. She's in a comma."

Slowly taking the doctor's words, Mamoru was pulled out of his zombie state. "In a comma?!" He shouted, more to himself than to the doctor. "In a comma… how?"

"As I said, her brain signs went suddenly out of control. She may have had been dreaming of something unpleasant, we don't really know what triggered it. We are doing everything we can, but she isn't answering."

Frowning, Ami spoke up. "How's the baby?"

"She's remarkably well," the doctor answered, quite confused. "We though her neck would be damaged, as the cord was tightly holding it, but," he paused looking up to Mamoru. "Your daughter is healthy and well, Chiba-san."

Rei smiled weakly, placing a hand in Mamoru's arm. "Mamoru, did you hear that? Chibi Usa's fine…"

"May I see her?" Mamoru asked the doctor, still assimilating all that information. Being a doctor himself, he could find any logical cause to all of this.

"Of course, you may see both. We've already moved her to another room. But just you, sir. We can't afford to have more people in there."

Rei was about to protest, but Ami squeezed her shoulder softly. As Rei turned her head to the other girl, Ami just shook her head. Understanding, Rei tried to smile at Mamoru encouragingly. "Go." She said simply.

--

At the white clear room, Usagi laid with her hair pooling loosed on the sheets. Apparently, the nurses had cleaned and tidied her.

_It's as if she were just sleep. So peaceful._

Taking the hand hadn't any needles on, he talked softly into Usagi's ear.

"Usagi, our Chibi Usa is already with here. They say she's okay. They'll bring her in a moment. Don't you wish to see her too?" He paused, framing her face with both hands. "Usagi, answer to me. You can't just let me take care of our daughter on my own… You know I'm terrible at it. Remember that time we baby-sited that lady's child? I couldn't have done it without you, Usa…"

At some point a nurse had entered the room carrying newly born Chibi Usa in her arms, but hadn't had the heart to interrupt Mamoru. Sensing she could talk know, she approached him.

"Chiba-san?" She asked softly. "I brought your daughter," she said extending the baby to him. "I'll leave you alone now, should you need anything-"

"I know. The black button," He said curtly, as he received the baby.

"Don't lose hope, sir." The young nurse said, as she walked out the door.

--

Placing himself on tall couch next to Usagi's hospital bed, Mamoru continued to talk to her.

"Usa, love. Look who's here!" he said, holding Chibi Usa out to Usagi, so that she could "see" her. "Say hi to mama, small one."

Silence.

"Usagi…" Mamoru whispered miserably, as tears finally were let to run freely down his face. "Love, aren't you glad our daughter is finally here with us? You were so excited…"

Not used to see this emotional side of Mamoru, Rei closed the small gap she had managed to open at the door of the room. Ami didn't need to ask. Mamoru wasn't well. Nothing was right anymore.

--

In a distant place, an evil grin appeared on a tanned face. Empty black pupils shone with a mixture of rage and joy.

"She should have died... but vegetable works for me, anyway." A maniac inhuman laugh filled the time door room, as Sailor Pluto looked up at a King Endymion's hologram, with hungry eyes.


End file.
